Henrik Jyrk's Nordic Culinary Showdown in Delhi: A Michelin-Inspired Sparkling Tea Pairing Experience at Taj Mahal

On a cold January afternoon at the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi, culinary history unfolded quietly but decisively. Award-winning Danish chef Henrik Jyrk, the visionary behind Copenhagen's celebrated restaurant IBU, brought his signature Nordic sensibility to India for the first time through the latest edition of Rendezvous – The Culinary Chronicles. What made this evening particularly special was not just the chef's reputation or the refined restaurant setting, but the introduction of Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, a revolutionary non-alcoholic beverage that challenges everything we thought we knew about pairing fine dining with sophisticated drinks. This was mindful indulgence at its finest, where technique met curiosity, and European elegance danced with the art of meaningful nourishment.

The Prelude: Understanding Copenhagen Sparkling Tea

Before the first course arrived, our host, Po from Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, took centre stage to introduce something most of us had never encountered before. This wasn't the overly sweet, vaguely medicinal "sparkling tea" you might find at a café. Instead, Copenhagen Sparkling Tea represents a completely new beverage category, developed by award-winning sommelier Jacob Kocemba and crafted as meticulously as a fine wine.

The flagship variety we'd be experiencing throughout the evening was LYSERØD, the rosé-style sparkling tea. Po explained, with genuine passion, that each bottle contains a blend of up to 13 different organic teas: from delicate white varieties like Silver Needle, to the more complex Oolong from Happy Valley estate in Darjeeling (at 2,100 meters above sea level), balanced with herbal hibiscus and hints of natural fruit aromatics. The result is zero per cent alcohol, yet boasts the mouthfeel, complexity, and sophisticated finish of champagne.

What struck us most was Po's revelation that Copenhagen Sparkling Tea is already served in over 150 Michelin-starred restaurants globally. Top chefs across Copenhagen, San Francisco, and beyond have embraced it as their preferred non-alcoholic pairing option for tasting menus.

For an Indian audience accustomed to strict abstainers' options at fine dining establishments, this was revelatory. We were not being offered a compromise; we were being offered a companion beverage of equal stature to any wine.

The Stage: Taj Mahal, New Delhi as Culinary Theatre

The Chambers, India's first exclusive business club, had chosen a fitting venue: the legendary Taj Mahal, New Delhi. This isn't just a hotel; it's a cultural and gastronomic landmark that has hosted world leaders, artists, and discerning travellers for decades.

The dining room itself struck a balance between understated elegance and intimate warmth. There was no intimidation in the air, no sense of pretence. Instead, what unfolded over the evening was a genuine dialogue between chef and diner, tradition and innovation, Nordic restraint and Indian curiosity.

The Chef: Henrik Jyrk's Journey to Delhi

To understand the significance of Chef Henrik Jyrk's presence in Delhi, one must appreciate his trajectory. Originally from Copenhagen, Jyrk has spent his career straddling two culinary worlds: the refined minimalism of Nordic cooking and the vibrant complexity of Asian flavours. His CV reads like a passport of culinary prestige. He trained at The Paul in Copenhagen, then moved to San Francisco to serve as Chef de Cuisine at the three Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn, precisely when the restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2011. He's a two-time guest judge on MasterChef Denmark, won Denmark's largest national cooking competition, Sol

Over Gudhjem, in both 2016 and 2017, and appeared on the television show Til Middag Hos in 2019.

But his true passion lies in his restaurant IBU, which opened in Copenhagen's trendy Vesterbro neighbourhood. Designed in collaboration with the renowned furniture brand Ferm Living, IBU merges Nordic and Asian aesthetics into a single, cohesive vision. The restaurant celebrates what Jyrk calls "technique-led" cooking where Asian flavours are layered atop Nordic foundations.

Speaking on his maiden visit to India, Chef Jyrk reflected: "My journey as a chef has been shaped by the flavours I've encountered along the way, from Nordic traditions to the Asian influences that continue to inspire my cooking. Food, for me, is about exchange and curiosity. Rendezvous – The Culinary Chronicles offers a meaningful platform to share this approach, and presenting my cuisine at the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi is particularly special. I'm excited to bring my work to India, and just as importantly, to experience Indian flavours and carry those influences back with me.”

This sentiment is crucial. Unlike celebrity chefs who descend upon cities with a rigid menu and predetermined expectations, Jyrk arrived in Delhi with genuine intellectual curiosity. He wasn't here to teach us about Nordic food; he was here to engage in culinary exchange.

The Menu: A Five-Course Journey

The evening presented both vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus, each comprising five courses, each paired with Copenhagen Sparkling Tea. What distinguished this menu was its refusal to be merely exotic or showy. Every dish served a purpose within the overall narrative of the evening.

Course One: Scallop with Ginger & Caviar (Non-Vegetarian) / Daikon with Ginger & Caviar (Vegetarian)

The meal opened with raw scallop, delicately presented with candied ginger and a whisper of caviar. The LYSERØD pairing was immediate and intuitive. The tea's herbal undertones and subtle hibiscus complexity cleansed the palate between bites, whilst its subtle acidity harmonised beautifully with the brininess of the caviar. The ginger provided a warming counterpoint, creating a three-way conversation between raw seafood, spiced vegetable, and sparkling tea.

For vegetarian diners, daikon provided an unexpected hero. Often relegated to sidekick status in Asian cuisine, here it was treated with profound respect. Paper-thin slices offered textural complexity reminiscent of the scallop's delicate flesh. The same ginger and caviar garnish created parity between both versions, demonstrating that vegetarian dining need not be an afterthought but rather a parallel expression of the same creative vision.

Course Two: Lobster with Tomato & Vadouvan (Non-Vegetarian) / Tomato, Tomato, Tomato (Vegetarian)

The second course elevated the stakes. The non-vegetarian option featured lobster, that most luxurious of crustaceans, paired with tomato and vadouvan. Vadouvan, for those unfamiliar, is a French-style curry powder with garlic, shallots, and warming spices. Here, it was not deployed aggressively but as a whispered suggestion, a reminder of how Northern European and Indian culinary traditions might speak the same language.

But the real revelation was the vegetarian course: "Tomato, Tomato, Tomato." Three distinct preparations of tomato sat before us. One was a concentrated tomato water, nearly transparent. Another was a roasted tomato emulsion. The third was perhaps a tomato leather or gel. All were paired with the wine pairing: Chateau Mont Redon, a refined Côtes du Rhône Blanc.

This dish embodied Chef Jyrk's philosophy perfectly. Rather than dismissing tomato as ordinary, he asked: what if we interrogate this ingredient with scientific precision and creative playfulness? What hidden facets does familiarity obscure? It's the kind of plate that would have seemed pretentious in less capable hands but felt genuinely inquisitive here.

Course Three: Langoustine with Jerusalem Artichoke & Coconut (Non-Vegetarian) / Jerusalem Artichoke, Coconut & Truffle (Vegetarian)

Langoustine, the delicate Scandinavian cousin of the prawn, took centre stage in the third course. The tuber known as Jerusalem artichoke (which, despite its name, is neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke, but rather a knobby North American root vegetable) provided earthy sweetness. Coconut, that ingredient so familiar to Indian kitchens, was treated here with restraint. It wasn't about coconut milk's richness but rather coconut's subtle fragrances and umami undertones.

The vegetarian version substituted langoustine with additional focus on the supporting players, adding truffle for depth and luxuriousness. Paired with Jacky Marteau Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, this course demonstrated how Chef Jyrk thinks about balance: each element neither overshadowing nor diminishing the others, but rather creating a complete thought.

Course Four: Nordic Curry with Goat & Peas (Non-Vegetarian) / Nordic Curry with Potato & Peas (Vegetarian)

Here, the chef's playfulness became most apparent. A curry, that most Indian of dishes, interpreted through a Nordic lens. The base was likely built on stock and spices rather than the coconut milk that defines so many Indian preparations. Goat meat, lean and slightly gamey, offered textural contrast. Peas provided colour and textural brightness.

Yet what could have felt gimmicky was instead deeply thoughtful. The curry spoke to a genuine truth: both Indian and Scandinavian kitchens have long traditions of slow-cooked meat dishes infused with warming spices. Both cultures understand how to extract profound flavour from humble ingredients. By reimagining a curry through Nordic sensibilities, Chef Jyrk wasn't appropriating or simplifying; he was acknowledging kinship.

The pairing shifted to Grimaldi Barolo, a robust Italian wine that somehow harmonised with both the meat course and the more delicate potato version.

Course Five: Dark Berries & Vanilla Ice Cream

Dessert is where Copenhagen Sparkling Tea's rosé character truly shone. Dark berries, whether blackberries, blackcurrants, or proprietary Scandinavian varieties, were balanced against vanilla's creamy sweetness. For non-vegetarians, this came with vanilla ice cream; vegetarians received a sorbet. The LYSERØD's subtle sweetness and berry notes became the meal's emotional resolution, sweet but never cloying, complex but never confusing.

The Pairing Philosophy: Why Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Changed the Game

Throughout the evening, what became abundantly clear was that Copenhagen Sparkling Tea wasn't being positioned as a wine substitute or a consolation prize for non-drinkers. Rather, it was being presented as a distinct beverage with its own logic and merit.

Bo Sten Hansen explained that the tea had been specifically selected to complement seafood and lighter preparations. The dry character of LYSERØD, derived from its Oolong base and balanced by white tea's smoothness, meant it wouldn't overpower delicate courses. Yet the hibiscus's slight tartness and the subtle fruit notes provided enough complexity that each pairing felt intentional rather than accidental.

For an Indian context, this innovation is particularly significant. India has long been home to sophisticated abstainers, whether for religious, health, or personal reasons. Yet fine dining establishments have historically offered such diners little beyond sparkling water, fruit juices, or overly sweetened mocktails. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea changes this calculus entirely. It arrives pre-made, requires no barista gymnastics or improvisation, yet delivers Michelin-star level accompaniment.

The fact that Copenhagen Sparkling Tea is already available in India, priced around rupees 3,500 per bottle, means that this experience is not merely a tourist novelty but something Indian consumers can actually explore and experience.

The Ambiance: Conversation and Curiosity

What struck us most about the evening was its conversational tenor. Chef Jyrk moved between tables, not in the obligatory manner of celebrity chefs but with genuine interest in diners' reactions. He wanted to know what we thought, whether the preparations worked, how the tea pairings landed for Indian palates.

This accessibility shouldn't be mistaken for casualness. Each question was posed by someone deeply invested in their craft, someone who has spent decades refining technique and exploring flavour. But there was no arrogance in the air, no sense that Nordic minimalism was being imposed as superior to Indian maximalism.

One particularly memorable moment came when a diner asked about the "tomato, tomato, tomato" course. Chef Jyrk's eyes lit up. He explained that this dish emerged from his ongoing fascination with how cooking can reveal an ingredient's hidden dimensions. "We forget," he said, "that familiarity breeds invisibility. When you see the same ingredient prepared three ways, suddenly you're forced to taste rather than assume."

The Broader Narrative: Why This Moment Matters

This event arrives at a particular juncture in India's culinary evolution. For decades, fine dining in India meant either classical French technique or elevated Indian cuisine. The space for genuine fusion, for chefs engaging across traditions with intellectual curiosity rather than commercial calculation, has only recently expanded.

What Chef Henrik Jyrk brought to Delhi was not a revolutionary menu. His technical innovations exist within well-established modernist frameworks. But what was revolutionary was the philosophical approach: a willingness to honour both Nordic and Asian culinary traditions as legitimate sources of inspiration, neither subordinate to the other.

Similarly, Copenhagen Sparkling Tea represents a shift in how we think about sophisticated drinking. In a world where wellness consciousness is rising, where many diners are reducing alcohol consumption, and where Indian traditions of herbal preparations remain deeply rooted, a non-alcoholic beverage that delivers genuine complexity is genuinely transformative.

For Indian audiences, particularly younger diners exploring global culinary movements, this event signalled something important: the world's finest chefs are not moving away from us; they're moving towards us, genuinely curious about what our kitchens, our ingredients, and our traditions might teach them.

Rendezvous

The evening concluded not with fanfare but with quiet satisfaction. As we departed Taj Mahal into a cool Delhi night, what lingered was not a sense of having consumed something exclusive or rarified, but rather of having participated in a genuine culinary conversation. Chef Henrik Jyrk had come to India not as a missionary spreading Nordic enlightenment but as a curious traveller seeking exchange. His menu proved that minimalism and maximalism need not be opposed; that vegetarian and non-vegetarian dining can be equal; and that the most sophisticated beverage pairings need not contain alcohol. For those seeking the future of fine dining in India, this evening provided a glimpse: it's conversational, inclusive, and fundamentally curious about the world beyond its own borders.